The Captain's Back
by frozenworld-trappedsoul
Summary: A short drabble on the undyingly faithful Katherine Hobbes and her much-loved Captain.  The Risen Empire/Scott Westerfeld


A/N: A short drabble on the undyingly faithful Katherine Hobbes and her much-loved Captain.

Lieutenant Katherine Hobbes pulled on the hem of her black Navy uniform one more time before entering the military hanger where the looming figure of the _Lynx_ awaited her. The _Lynx_ was a ship gorgeous by all brutal military standards. Her sleek figure covered with thick walls of black hydrocarbon that shone blue in where the light danced upon her curves. The guns tucked in neatly at her sides, preserving a streamlined structure shaping the _Lynx_ like two perfect blades seated next to each other on top of a wider black expanse. The_ Lynx_ was a deadly craft, beautiful, but designed for utterly devastating destruction. Lieutenant Hobbes' green eyes swept the ship again and again and almost felt as the _Lynx _was looking back at her, appraising the new lieutenant that would soon come aboard. Hobbes prayed silently to the _Lynx_ asking the ship to take good care of her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Hobbes spun to face the dark haired man, who had moved beside her silently and snapped up into a sharp salute,

"Sorry, sir, I only wanted to see her. I didn't mean to intrude." She realized her mistake at once when she saw the corner of his mouth twitch upwards. He was a Vadan. Machines, no matter their importance remained genderless and stupid, on the planet Vada. The Vadans remained firmly in their traditionalist's views against talking houses and robots. Speech was an elevated element only humanity could utilize.

"It's no intrusion at all, Lieutenant." He waved away her apology with brief shake of his head, "What do you think of the Empire's newest prize?" She heard not sarcasm, but frankness. He was not asking her if the ship was able, but rather he was asking what she thought of its abilities, its abilities as a killer of worlds.

"A sound deep space ship, sir" Hobbes replied and the man nodded,

"A sound ship indeed." Hobbes and the man stood in silence as they both admired the deadly _Lynx_. Hobbes stood stoically not daring to say anything to a commanding officer. Speak when spoken to, answer when asked to, and die when ordered to. Three navy absolutes Hobbes aspired to resolutely follow. It was order and Hobbes relished order.

"Who will be your commanding officer Lieutenant?" It was a tactful question; everyone knew very well who the new captain was.

"Captain Laurent Zai." Hobbes replied.

"Ah, the Broken Man." The officer mused. Hobbes looked at the scars and weathered creases on the officer's face and thought that he was not one who should criticize, he looked rather broken himself.

"The Hero, sir" Hobbes countered politely. At that remark the officer turned to Hobbes and looked her straight in the eye, the intensity of his gaze amplified by the head and a half height difference between them. His eyes looked like deep space, perfect black, endless orbs rather fitting for a spacecraft officer.

"The Hero?" He asked his eyes still burning, "And what has that man done to deserve such a title?" This time Hobbes heard bitterness in the officer's voice. Perhaps he was a rival of Captain Zai's or maybe simply jealous of his newly elevated status. Either way, Hobbes figured it was best to proceed with caution.

"For surviving, sir." She figured the most widely publicized reason was best.

"Lieutenant, if all military personnel were given elevated status simply for surviving, then the entire military would be Risen."

"Yes, but would every officer return to service after so great a horror, knowing that he was inflicting greater and equal pain upon those he was battling? Captain Zai has seen war in every aspect, yet he still pursues it. He faces forward each day, moving onward even with the horrors of Dhantau wrapped around his ankles. He is a hero, sir, because he knows war and continues to serve, not only the Empire, but also his fellow officers and his subordinates. Captain Zai understands war to a depth that very few soldiers will ever reach and even fewer actually desire to reach. He knows war and its consequences better than anyone and he aspires to teach us about them and protect us from them. He can battle fear, the Rix, and even Death walking in your face. He is a hero because after all he has experienced he is still walking forwards, even if he breaks one day, he got back up in the first place and I couldn't ask for more in the Captain I serve, sir."

Hobbes took a deep breath at the end of her speech. Her emotion was a bit uncharacteristic, she wasn't so sure why she felt the need to defend a man she had never met, but perhaps it was the_ Lynx_ looming in the background that made Hobbes say her piece. No one would insult the Captain to her or in front of the _Lynx_, she would remain unfalteringly, immovably loyal to Captain Zai. It was this instant, when the officer questioned her, that Hobbes resolved to be by the Captain in Death, in Death, and anything else worse than Death out there, Hobbes would face it protecting her Captain's back.

Hobbes waited for a reprimand or even a simple reply. The tall officer scrutinized her a moment before making his reply, "Thank you Lieutenant Hobbes" he began, " It will be good to have you at my back."

Captain Laurent Zai nodded before walking slowly away to the entrance of the hanger, leaving an astounded Katherine Hobbes behind, watching his back.

A/N: I love Zai and Hobbes I think they'd be a bit more of a hysterical couple, not as mushy as Nora and Zai. Oh well…. Review anyways!


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